James Clum Contemporary Art

James Clum Contemporary Art James Clum is full time artist living & working in the Pittsburgh area.

Mississippi John HurtOil on Wood12x16”5/26John Hurt was a great blues musician who lived from 1892 until 1966. His song...
05/25/2026

Mississippi John Hurt
Oil on Wood
12x16”
5/26
John Hurt was a great blues musician who lived from 1892 until 1966. His songs speak of hardship but also of dignity and joy. He seemed to always have a kind smile on his face.

No QuarterOil on Wood Panel12x16”5/26This piece was based on a few different historical photos of the guerrilla outlaw B...
05/18/2026

No Quarter
Oil on Wood Panel
12x16”
5/26
This piece was based on a few different historical photos of the guerrilla outlaw Bloody Bill Anderson. As rumors spread about the exploits of bad men, postmortem photographs served many purposes. They put a face to stories, served as a warning, gave people a sense justice was being served which allowed people closure and a chance to feel safe again. However they also had a tendency to turn criminals into myths and icons. As I painted it I was also reminded of Picasso’s blue period and his friend Casagemas. It was painted wet on wet with to preliminary actions.

BushwhackerOil on Wood12x16”5/25This my interpretation of the outlaw Cole Younger. It was based on an assortment of his...
05/14/2026

Bushwhacker
Oil on Wood
12x16”
5/25
This my interpretation of the outlaw Cole Younger. It was based on an assortment of historical photographs. The main photograph interested me a lot because the face tells a story. He is pictured after capture. He and others from the James gang had botched a bank robbery in Minnesota and were on the run. He had been shot in the funny bone, took buckshot to the side, and a ball went through his face and lodged behind his eye. His capture came a week after the failed robbery. How do you paint injury, pain, exhaustion, defeat, composure and contempt all at once? I just translated the shapes I saw. This painting is essentially a drawing with oil on a very slick surface to get this look.

Portrait in Red, White and BlueOil on Mounted Canvas18x24”5/26This is a portrait of a great aunt taken in the 1920’s. I...
05/05/2026

Portrait in Red, White and Blue
Oil on Mounted Canvas
18x24”
5/26
This is a portrait of a great aunt taken in the 1920’s. It was youthful look at the time.

At the WheelOil on Mounted Canvas24x18”4/25This painting was my interpretation of a photo of my grandfather Keene and gr...
04/27/2026

At the Wheel
Oil on Mounted Canvas
24x18”
4/25
This painting was my interpretation of a photo of my grandfather Keene and great aunt Julia driving around in a car that he put together. He was very good at building things and taking things apart. The date is around 1918 and he was in his teens.

At the WheelOil on Mounted Canvas24x18”4/25This painting was my interpretation of a photo of my grandfather Keene and gr...
04/27/2026

At the Wheel
Oil on Mounted Canvas
24x18”
4/25
This painting was my interpretation of a photo of my grandfather Keene and great aunt Julia driving around in a car that he put together. He was very good at building things and taking things apart. The date is around 1918 and he was in his teens.

Paul’s SmileOil on Mounted Canvas24x18”4/25I painted this from a photo of my father who is the little boy in the front. ...
04/18/2026

Paul’s Smile
Oil on Mounted Canvas
24x18”
4/25
I painted this from a photo of my father who is the little boy in the front. My grandmother stands behind him in the white hat and I believe the heavy set woman is my great grandmother. My aunt is the girl. It was from around 1935 in Independence, MO. I think my grandfather took the picture. He could’ve taken the picture of just the four family members but he apparently asked a friend to stand in drinking pop (Smile) to show that my dad has paying customers at his sidewalk refreshment stand.

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Steubenville, OH
43952

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